Container,particularly for toilet preparations



y l970 K. F} MEATES 3,521,397

CONTAINER, PARTICULARLY FOR TOILET PREPARATIONS Filed Nov. 8, 1967 19 2Q 21 23 4 K E VIN {Ram/s "Ems United States Patent Office 3,521,397 Patented July 21, 1970 3,521,397 CONTAINER, PARTICULARLY FOR TOILET PREPARATIONS Kevin F. Meates, 6 Clifford Ave., Christchurchl, South Island, New Zealand Filed Nov. 8, 1967, Ser. No. 681,427 Claims priority, application New Zealand, Aug. 29, 1967,

Int. Cl. A63h 33/00 US. C]. 4611 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A container shaped like the body of a doll and fitted with movable head and arms so that it can be used as a doll. When so used, the container can be supported in an inverted upright position by engagement with an accompanying pedestal. The head and arms are attached to the body by ball and socket joints, the ball portions of which are formed integrally with the body to avoid forming holes in the body which would prevent its use as a container for liquid and other toilet preparations.

The invention relates to a container, particularly for toilet preparations such as shampoos, perfumes, bath crystals, talc, and the like, and has for its general object the provision of a container which will be suitable for use in containing toilet preparations of the kinds mentioned, and which can also be used as a doll.

A conventional doll provided with a hollow body, and with movable head and arms to facilitate the dressing of the doll, is unsuitable for use as a container for toilet preparations owing to provision of holes in the body, in which the head and arms of the doll are movably engaged.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a container, in the form of the body of a doll, which is adapted for the movable attachment thereto of the head and arms of the doll, in' a manner which does not impair its suitability for use as a container for toilet preparations of the kind mentioned.

According to the invention, a container for toilet preparations comprises a doll provided with a hollow body and with movable head and arms attached to the 'body of the doll by ball and socket joints, the ball portions of the said joints being formed integrally with the body of the doll so as to avoid the formation of holes in the body at the points of attachment of the head and arms thereto.

Preferably, a lower end portion, or foot, of the body of the doll is formed with an opening normally closed by a detachable stopper.

Preferably, also, the detachable stopper is threadedly attached to the body of the doll and is adapted to engage in a bore formed in a pedestal supplied with the doll.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying sectional drawing.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a container for toilet preparations consists of a hollow body portion 11 adapted to form the torso 12 and legs 13v of a doll, and adapted for the movable attachment thereto of a head 14 and arms 15 by ball and socket joints 16, the ball portions of the said joints 16 being formed integrally with the said body portion 11 at the neck 17 and shoulders 18 thereof, so as to avoid the formation of holes in the body portion 11 at those points.

The hollow body portion 11 includes the torso 12 and legs 13 of the doll, in the manner of a figurine, and has at its foot portion 19 a cylindrical spigot-like downward extension 20 which, if the body portion 11 were inverted and regarded solely as a container, would constitute a tubular neck at the top of that container. The said extension 20 has an aperture 21 at its lower end, and this is closed by means of a removable cap 22 which is screwed on the lower end part of the said extension 20, the said lower end part being externally screw-threaded to receive the cap 22. The external diameter of the cap 22 is the same as that of the spigot-like extension 20, the screw-threaded lower end part of the latter being correspondingly reduced in diameter so as to enable the cap 22 to be fitted thereon.

A base, or pedestal, 23 of frusto-conical shape and formed with a vertical cylindrical central bore 24 is supplied with the doll-shaped container, as a support therefor. The bore 24 of the pedestal 23 is of just slightly greater diameter than the spigot-like extension 20 at the lower end of the hollow body portion 11, and is of the same or greater length, so that the body portion 11 can be supported in an upright position by fitting its said extension 20 within the bore 24 of the pedestal 23 and placing the latter on a flat horizontal surface.

The body 11, head 14, and arms 15 of the doll, the removable cap 28, and the pedestal 23, are all moulded from suitable plastic materials, and the body 11 of the doll may be either rigid, or flexible so that the toilet preparations can be squeezed or sprayed out of the container.

Usually the container will be shaped to provide a doll of female form, but it may of course be shaped to provide a doll or toy figure of any other suitable form; for example that of a male person, or of an animal or puppet, or of a three-dimensional cartoon character.

Suitable clothing, such as a national costume, may be supplied with the doll in a gift pack.

In a modification of the embodiment described above, the removable cap 22 and the pedestal 23 are combined in a single member, which is screwed on the lower end part of the said downward extension 20 of the hollow body portion 11.

The container provided :by the invention, being usable as a doll in the manner described above, is apt to promote sales of the product supplied in the container, and also provides a continuing use for the empty container. The doll formed by the container, having movable and removable arms and head, can be easily dressed and undressed by a child playing with the doll.

I claim:

1. A container for toilet preparations comprising a doll provided with a hollow body serving as the container and with movable head and arms attached to the body of said doll by ball and socket joints, the ball portions of said joints being formed integrally with the body of said doll for avoiding the formation of holes in the body at the points of attachment of the head and arms thereto, the lower end portion of said body of said doll is formed with an opening communicating with the interior of said body, a detachable stopper is threadedly attached to the opening in said body of said doll for maintaining the opening in a normally closed condition, and a removable pedestal for supporting said doll in a normally upright position, said pedestal and said detachable stopper being in cooperating engagement to form an iuterengageable supporting arrangement, said pedestal holding said doll in the upright position.

2. A container, according to claim 1, wherein said hollow body having a tubular shaped projection extending downwardly from its lower end portion forming the opening thereto, said pedestal having an upwardly facing bore therein arranged to receive said projection on said body and said stopper attached thereto for removably supporting said doll in the upright position.

3. A container for toilet preparations comprising a doll provided with a hollow body and with movable head and arms attached to the body of the doll by ball and socket joints, the ball portions of said joints being formed integrally with the body of the doll so as to avoid the formation of holes in the body at the points of attachment of the head and arms thereto, said hollow body includes the torso and the legs of the doll in the manner of a figurine, and has at its foot portion a cylindrical spigot-like downward extension formed at its lower end with an aperture communicating with the interior of said hollow body; a cap being removably screwed on the lower end part of the said extension over the said aperture; the external diameter of the cap being the same as that of the said extension, and the said lower end part being of correspondingly reduced diameter; and wherein 15 the container includes pedestal, having a vertical cylindrical bore wherein the said extension is fitted so that the said body extends above and is supported by said pedestal.

4. A container according to claim 3, and wherein the said body, head, and arms of the doll, the said cap,

4 and the said base or pedestal, are all moulded from a plastics material.

5. A container according to claim 3, and wherein the said body of the doll is moulded from a flexible plastics material.

6. A container according to claim 3, and wherein the said cap is formed integrally with the said base or pedestaL-at the lower end part of the said bore.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 703,899 7/ 1902; Debes 46-173 3,018,583 1/1962 Novotney 4611 3,178,060 4/ 1965 Bossack 22278 FOREIGN PATENTS 997,078 9/1951 France.

ROBERT PESHOCK, Primary Examiner 

